Lake of the Ozarks: Fun for all ages

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By Dave Reynoldsof the Journal Star

Journal Star

By Dave Reynoldsof the Journal Star

Posted Jul. 5, 2014 at 1:00 PM

By Dave Reynoldsof the Journal Star

Posted Jul. 5, 2014 at 1:00 PM

Spending a week last month vacationing at Lake of the Ozarks was a seven-day period that was, at once, similar and different from the week our family enjoyed at the south central Missouri playground nine years ago.

Although we saw many of the same sites, doing so with three boys aged 1-5 in tow instead of three college kids furnished a refreshing perspective for my wife, Linda and me along with our son Michael and his wife, Renae.

Michael and Renae’s kids — 5-year-old Hugh, 4-year-old Seth and 1-year-old Ethan — did propel us into new adventures. Like spending the afternoon at Miner Mike’s Indoor Family Fun Center instead of another visit to the large outlet mall. Or splashing at our condo swimming pool instead of waterskiing. Or renting a pontoon boat to accommodate our large group instead of a speed boat.

But we still enjoyed a few adult outings, like golfing, a visit to the Mothers’ Shrine and a morning aerial tour of the area through Lake Aviation ($50 per person for 30 minutes). Observing Lake of the Ozarks from the air showcased the area’s natural beauty and emphasized how close everything is as the bird flies as opposed to how the roads navigate around the water.

Overall, just like nine years ago, we found the area’s varied activities provided a great time no matter your age.

HOW TO GET THERE: The most direct route from Peoria to Lake Ozark/Osage Beach is Interstate 55 to I-72 to Route 54. With 70 mph interstate speeds, travel time is now just over five hours.

WHERE WE STAYED: We went through Professional Management Group (PMG), which manages 150 properties in the area. We stayed in a great three-bedroom condo on Horseshoe Bend in Regatta Bay overlooking the lake with a nice swimming pool (a must for families with young kids because there aren’t lake swimming beaches).

WHEN TO GO: We traveled to the lake in June this trip when the weather was mild and the crowds were smaller than mid-summer. On prior visits, though, we’ve found the lake offers a nice retreat from the summer heat of July and August. If you can wait until September, the temperatures and traffic are quite agreeable.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE LAKE: Lake of the Ozarks was created from 1929-1931 by Union Electric Co. of St. Louis (now Ameren). Bagnell Dam was built along with the accompanying roads, railroad tracks and power lines to carry electricity. The lake zigs and zags for 92 miles of main channel and an incredible 1,150 miles of shoreline, more than the entire Pacific coast of California. An informative historical introduction of the area is provided at Willmore Lodge near the dam.

CRUISIN’ THE LAKE: We got out on the water twice — one day on the relaxing and narrated Tropic Island yacht cruise ($20 adults, $10 kids 4-12) and another on a three-hour rented pontoon boat ($156 to $215) at the family-run Alhonna Resort, where we enjoyed a casual lunch before casting off. We cruised midweek and encountered light traffic on the lake. The lake offered plenty of coves to take a break and splash in the water.

Page 2 of 3 - MOTHER’S SHRINE: A free-admission highlight was the Mother’s Shrine in Sunrise Beach, dedicated to all mothers and Mary as mother of the church. A 14-foot stainless steel statue of Mary revolves around the grotto that holds outdoor summer Catholic Masses that seat several thousand visitors. Names of more than 4,000 mothers, including the mothers of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict, are engraved into the surrounding granite walls. For $350, your mother’s name can be added.

WATCH THE KIDS: Part of our entertainment was observing the boys’ reactions to new experiences. Our grandsons were tense with excitement as we entered the Bat Cave, aka Bridal Cave ($16 adults, $8 kids 5-12). While the tour guide detailed the thousands of weddings that take place there, the boys scanned the stalactites for bats or signs of a caped crusader or two lurking about. They also loved the huge wave pool at Big Surf Waterpark (all day pass for adults $28.95, $23.95 kids 4-10). Another kid favorite was the Main Street Opry (adults $20, kids $11, younger than 5 free).

GOLFING GRATIFICATION: The lake area is filled with a number of tremendous golf choices and my son and I played a couple of the more challenging courses. Old Kinderhook is a Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole jewel west of the nearby town of Camdenton. Osage National is a gorgeous Arnold Palmer design located near the dam with a river front nine and a mountain back nine.

STATELY STATE PARK: Ha Ha Tonka State Park, free of charge, is noteworthy for its karst topography, a landscape characterized by sinkholes, caves, underground streams and natural bridges. But the park’s biggest draw is man-made, the ruins of a castle built a century ago by a Kansas City businessman. Only in operation for 20 years before it caught fire in 1942, there is enough left to allow the imagination to fill in the grandeur of what once was.

DINING HIGHLIGHTS: The area serves up a variety of well-run local eateries as well as popular chains. Here are some of the best dishes and snacks our group consumed: Grouper sandwich and Davy Jones nachos at Cap’n Ron’s; Missouri trout and salmon at Baxter’s Lakeside Grille; barbecue pork sandwich at Old Kinderhook’s Trophy Room; ribs at Wobbly Boots; omelets and giant cinnamon rolls at Stewart’s; fish tacos at L.O.’s Crab Shack; and concrete desserts at Randy’s Frozen Custard. Of course, one advantage to renting a condo is the money savings of not having to eat out every meal.

MINER MIKE’S: This 35,000-square foot indoor family fun center, which includes dining options, an assortment of rides, maze tubes, arcade games and simulators for all age levels, is a perfect way for everyone to fill several hours of a rainy or hot day.

Page 3 of 3 - ON THE WAY HOME: Unique historical tours 45 minutes north of the lake await in Jefferson City, the state’s capital. The capital building itself is a museum of art. The old Missouri State Penitentiary, closed in 2004, is now open for tours ($12 for two-hour tour). It’s a captivating place that held such notorious criminals as “Pretty Boy” Floyd, “Sonny” Liston and James Earl Ray. Ray’s escape one year before assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. is a cautionary tale. Visit pjstar.com for a more complete story on Jefferson City attractions.

FOR MORE INFO: A good overall website for the area is funlake.com. The site is run by the helpful staff at Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau (1-800-FUNLAKE or 573-348-1599).

Our vacations to Lake of the Ozarks have proven that age doesn’t matter whether you’re seeking an active venue to revel in the outdoors or just a spot to relax and unwind. The lake has endless miles of recreational water, a plethora of good restaurants, plentiful lodging options and many varied attractions. Lake of the Ozarks is one of our family’s top destinations for fun not too far from home.